Footballers in the English Premier League will no longer kneel before every league match to protest against racism, according to media reports. According to the report, the symbolic kneeling before kick-off will only take place at selected matches, such as the FA Cup and League Cup finals.
“We have decided to kneel only at certain moments during the season to underline our unity in the fight against all forms of racism,” read a statement from the club’s captains.
Ahead of the new season, PL club captains have reaffirmed their commitment to fighting racism and all forms of discrimination.
The players have decided to use specific moments during the upcoming campaign to take the knee. NoRoomForRacism
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– Premier League (@premierleague) August 3, 2022
The top clubs had begun the genuflection in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which grew in prominence after the death of George Floyd in May 2020. The gesture dates back to football player Colin Kaepernick, who protested racism in the NFL by taking a knee.
Many players have refrained from doing so for some time, including all the professionals at Brentford FC. Those responsible for the team had justified the move months ago by saying that the gesture had lost its effect.
Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha had also spoken out against it. The Ivory Coast international, himself a frequent victim of racist insults, had been one of the first to refuse to kneel before the game. He criticised the gesture as a “meaningless charade”.